Scientists at the University of Houston may have taken a big step toward solving one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems. They’ve engineered sheets of bacterial cellulose (essentially ...

Billions of tons of plastic waste clutter our world. Most of it has accumulated on the ground and in the oceans or disintegrated into tiny particles known as microplastics that pollute the air and the ...

— -- Here is one word about an up-and-coming innovation in plastics: cornfields. Bioplastics — most of which are now made from corn — are poised to grab a bigger share of the plastics market as ...

Biodegradable plastics are sold as a simple fix for a world drowning in packaging, but the reality is far messier than the ...

Several new projects turn waste into food for microbes that create PHA, a type of plastic that fully decomposes on its own, offering a less costly alternative to current bioplastics. This fork made of ...

Technically, it exists. But here’s what to think about when shopping. Credit...Naomi Anderson-Subryan Supported by By Hiroko Tabuchi On the face of it, biodegradable plastic is a miracle. It looks ...

Even when it’s ground into microparticles, 97% of an algae-based plastic biodegrades in compost and water in under seven months, a new study has reported. The researchers hope their plastic will ...

Scientists have demonstrated a creative solution to plastic pollution, one of our most pressing environmental problems. Plastic was embedded with spores of plastic-eating bacteria that are activated ...

Yuwei Gu was hiking through Bear Mountain State Park in New York when inspiration struck. Plastic bottles littered the trail ...

Governments worldwide are increasingly enacting bans and restrictions on single-use plastics, creating a regulatory environment that favors biodegradable alternatives. At the same time, consumers and ...

Plastic is one of the most widely used materials, found in everything from packaging and textiles to cars and aircraft. But most plastics are made from petroleum, releasing harmful emissions during ...